Tuition Tax Credits: A Threat to Montana-Based Education Solutions

February 2015 | Presented by the Montana Budget & Policy Center

Proposals for tuition tax credits reallocate critical state investment in public schools in our communities, cost the state millions of dollars, and are not a viable option for Montana families, students, and communities. When tax benefit programs were implemented in other states, studies showed that these programs failed to improve access to high-quality education or save the state money. Instead, tuition tax credits divert funding away from public schools, jeopardizing the state’s ability to encourage improvements and innovation within public schools. Montana’s strong public school system already provides varied opportunities for children of all backgrounds, helping to create a well-trained workforce and prosperous state. In Montana, tuition tax credits would reduce the state’s ability to find state-based solutions for improving our education system, threatening the benefits our public schools provide to the wider community.